Houston Jury Awards $597,579.50 in Motor Vehicle Negligence Case
One driver was traveling on a highway feeder road when his vehicle collided with another. The drivers exited their vehicles, and an altercation ensued. The injured driver sustained a fractured wrist, which required surgery and physical therapy. He claimed the injury occurred during the initial collision, while the defense argued it happened during the subsequent fight.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $607,542
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2016
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrist / Hand Injury
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $607,542 is above the median of $560,456 for wrist / hand injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $20,300 to $607,542, based on 4 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A motor vehicle collision and subsequent physical altercation occurred on Highway 290 near Barker Cypress Road in Houston, Texas, in June 2012. The plaintiff, driving a Jeep Wrangler with his two sons, collided with the defendant's Nissan Altima. Police responded, and a report faulted the defendant for "road rage" and an unsafe lane change. The defendant was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, later pleading guilty to deadly conduct.
The plaintiff filed a lawsuit alleging negligence and gross negligence. He claimed to have sustained a fractured wrist, compartment syndrome, and pneumonia, requiring multiple surgeries and physical therapy, as a result of the incident. The plaintiff argued the wrist injury occurred during the wreck or was aggravated by the post-collision fight, which he maintained was in self-defense. An orthopedic surgeon, serving as the plaintiff's expert, supported this view. The defendant admitted causing the accident but contended the plaintiff initiated the fight and was responsible for his wrist injury, which a defense biomechanical engineer opined occurred during a fall in the altercation. The defendant's counterclaim was dismissed.
A jury found the defendant ordinarily and grossly negligent, and did not find negligence by the plaintiff. The jury initially awarded approximately $607,542 in damages. However, the court later disregarded awards for vehicle repair costs and loss of use, as property damages had already been settled by insurance carriers. The court also disregarded punitive damages, determining the gross negligence finding pertained only to vehicle damage. The final judgment for the plaintiff totaled $597,579.50, plus prejudgment interest and taxable costs.
Understanding This Case
- This case went to trial and resulted in a jury verdict. Verdicts can yield higher awards but carry the risk of receiving nothing if the jury rules against the plaintiff.
- This case was resolved in Harris County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2016, this case reflects the legal and economic conditions of that period, including medical costs, insurance practices, and jury award trends at the time.
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome is within expected ranges
This score is calculated by analyzing injury type, accident details, geographic location, temporal trends, and comparing against 2,000+ similar cases in our database.
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